Heard learned counsel for the parties.

The petitioner has been served with a punishment of withholding of increment for two years, which is equivalent to three black marks by the impugned order dated 04.02.2003 passed by the Superintendent of Police (Railway), Dhanbad as contained in Annexure-7. The appellate authority-cum-D.I.G (Railway), Ranchi vide order dated 26.12.2003 as contained in Annexure-9, has affirmed the original order of punishment. Both these orders are under challenge in the present writ petition.

2. The petitioner was, a Havildar in the police force at the relevant point of time, posted at G.R.P, Dhanbad when he was served with a charge-sheet contained at Annexure-4 for having unauthorizedly remained in absence from duty without any information or prior sanction of leave from 1.12.1999. Other charges also related to his absence from duty without proper information and for having avoided on being duty in the forthcoming elections of Bihar Vidhan Sabha. Despite being communicated through letter dated 27.01.2000, he did not appear before the Superintendent of Police (Rail), Dhanbad and it was alleged in the charge-sheet that such unauthorized absence on his p